Signal Mountain Happenings

Bonny and Alan Shuptrine of Shuptrine’s Gold Leaf Designs are excited to display works by local artist Billy Parker. Watercolor paintings loaded with whimsy and color are the focal point of this exhibit. Displaying scenes from everyday life, past and present, the paintings provide the viewer with a charming view of southern life.

Life-long Chattanooga resident and founder of the Mountain City Publishing Company, Parker has focused on his art full time for the past several years. By breathing life into common scenes, Parker is able to intrigue people with his paintings because they can relate to them.

As Parker states, “I like motion, color, expression, and for it to tell a story. What I strive for are bright colors, movement, atmosphere, and feeling. For the most part, people bring forth the feeling.” Indeed people bring their own feeling to his pieces, but he has an immeasurable talent for evoking a wide array of those feelings in the viewer, from nostalgia and joy to regret and loneliness.

“I am happiest when I work, and I want my work to show my feelings. I like canvases to express color and movement, and I want my work to say something,” Billy says. His work says plenty, and you will not want to miss this opportunity to take it all in.

The exhibit opens Thursday, November 5, with an open house at Shuptrine’s, 2646 Broad St., from 5-8 p.m. The exhibit will be on display through December.